Thoughts of an author & radio host

Menu

Post navigation

The person of Christ has been debated for millenia. Was He a good man, a great seer, or something more? Even in the early Church, the question of who and what Jesus Christ is raised many debates. They all knew He existed. That He lived. That He died. But…did He really rise from the dead like witnesses claimed? Or, was it a supernatural being who ‘pretended’ to die? Was He perhaps a spirit who had cast aside the need for the flesh?

It’s alway been my belief that it’s not enough to know about Jesus but you have to know who the Jesus is. A lot of faiths and religious institution know about Jesus. Who is the true Jesus?

On this episode of the Parker J Cole show, we’ll be talking to Dr. Jim Papandrea, author of The Earliest Christologies: Five Images of Christ in the Postapostolic Age. What did the early Church fathers believe and how has that shaped our understanding of Christ. You can call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, click on the link here.

Jim Papandrea is a teacher, author, speaker, and musician. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in music and theatre arts, Jim went on to receive his M.Div. degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, with a concentration in youth ministry, then spent several years in full time ministry, focusing on youth and music ministry, and serving as a consultant in youth ministry. Jim went on to receive a Ph.D. in the history and theology of the early Christian church from Northwestern University, with secondary concentrations in New Testament interpretation and the history of the Roman Empire. He has also studied Roman history at the American Academy in Rome, Italy. Jim is currently Associate Professor of Church History at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary at Northwestern University, as well as a consultant in the area of Adult Faith Formation, and a regular speaker in parish and lay formation programs in the Chicago area. Jim is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the North American Patristics Society, and the Catholic Association of Music. When he’s not teaching or performing music, Jim can be found traveling with his wife, Susie, taking photographs and making pilgrimages to places like Rome and Assisi.

Often when we read the Bible, we may get a general idea of what the Bible is talking about. God’s love, mercy, judgement, and many other communicable and incommunicable attributes. Yet, if we delve deeper in the word, there are several times where God proclaims “I am God and there is no other god.” Yet, in today’s world, we have many people who have gods — eastern demi-gods, man-god consciousness, alien gods, gods of theory, and so forth and so on. The thing to remember is that God has been proclaiming and setting the record straight ever since the dawn of man.

Sometimes Christians feel like they have to defend God or come to God’s rescue. However, I would submit to you that God has always actively fought against the ‘gods’ of this world, whether of a spiritual nature or of our imagination.

Join me as I talked with writer and filmaker Brian Godawa as we delve into the whole realm of God against the gods as the Bible depicts it. You cacn call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, you can click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/9083961 Tune in!

There’s one book on the planet that when people hear its name, they have a myriad of response to it. From archaeologists, to doctors, to students, parents, children, teachers, professors, when they hear the Bible, the reactions range from hatred to adoration, skepticism to fantasy, and reverence to tolerance. Over the years, the Bible has been weighed by the intellectuals and laypeople of the times. As such, in a moral relativistic world, it’s important for Christians to have answers to common myths about the Bible,

Join me as I talked to historian, author, pastor, and teacher, Lewis Smith as he returns to the Parker J. Cole show to help us debunk some common bible myths and equip Christians with responses to this. If you have a question, feel free to call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, you can click on the link here. Tune in!

This past week the nation was shocked by the senseless murders of forty nine people in a nightclub in Orlando. Being heralded as the worst mass shooting in modern U. S. history, the victims and the families are in a state of shock with many unanswered questions. As new details come to light in these few days, more questions are still being asked. “Why?” being the most prevalent.

Some have used the events to harp on the behavior of the individuals because of their participation in a homosexual lifestyle. Others have used the events to talk more about gun control and anti-terrorism acts. Other still use the event for their own agenda whatever that may be. Yet in the midst of this, are forty nine families forever changed by a violent act. What about them? How are they going to pick up the pieces of their lives now that their loved ones are gone?

How can grieving families, whether from the Orlando victims or anyone else who has had a loved taken away, find hope?

Join me as I discuss this topic with my return guest, Gary Roe, minister, grief survivor, and author as we tackle this topic. Feel free to weigh ini at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, you can click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/9009637. Tune in!

What does it mean to have an active prayer life? What does it mean to pray in general? As I was preparing for this show, I was, of course, struck by what the focus of my prayers typically are — me. Me and mine. Not that I believe there’s anything wrong with praying for your life circumstances and situations. There was a time when I didn’t pray for myself at all because I felt unworthy. But that’s another topic for another time.

Praying for social justice is something we as Christians should include in our prayer life. Right now, SJW’s, which is short for ‘social justice warriors’ are advocating for things like, “Give Captain America a Boyfriend” or “Give Elsa a Girlfriend”. They use the power of social media to make memes, and catchy hashtags to bring public opinion about for what they believe is social justice. And it’s a powerful tool, that social media monster.

But do you know what social justice really is? Do you know prayer is bigger than social media and more effective than any campaign we as people can devise. When we understand the true meaning of social justice and use prayer to effectively bring social justice, we find ourselves in the middle of God’s will for His people.

Join me as I talk with returning guest Alana Terry as we discuss her thirty day prayer devotionals for social justice. You can call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air! Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, you can click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/8952669. Tune in!

There’s a dear friend of mine who hasn’t gone to a physical worship service in quite some time. She stays home every weekend and does her personal Bible study and devotion for herself and her family. She has been searching for a church home to call her own but she has come up against a brick wall. That brick wall is that most of the churches she has visited cannot handle the needs of her special needs children.

In one sense, I’m glad she continues to do her own personal devotions to the Lord but it’s difficult when you feel all alone and can’t worship because one’s child may make a lot of noise during the service. Some churches have some programs aimed at these members of the flock but most don’t. Instead, they politely ask them to leave.

But I don’t blame the Church as a whole. Some churches are reaching to this growing demographic with training and programs to help parents with special needs. However, a lot of churches still don’t what to do.

Join me as we discuss Special Needs and the Church with former special education teacher Jenny White as we take an in-depth look at this topic. You can call in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, click on the link here: http://tobtr.com/s/8944249 Tune in!

When I came across Fire Breathing Christian, it was through a friend who popped a cool article about the early Christian signs found in the game of the Legend of Zelda. As I read through this highly interesting blog, I found myself clicking on more thought provoking, convicting articles about putting the Lord first in EVERY aspect of our lives. Then I saw the title of the blog, Fire Breathing Christian, and the image that came to mind just had me bouncing in my chair saying, “I’ve got to have this blogger on my show!”

After all, Christians, not erroneously but perhaps misguided, tend to think meekness, and humility are the only sides of Christ. Perhaps we need to be reminded that Christ is not just the Lamb but the Lion. Perhaps we need to be remember to be wise as serpents, and not just harmless as doves.

Fire Breathing Christian hopes to equip and encourage Christians to better understand, proclaim, and apply the lordship of Christ in every realm of His creation. You can call in to weigh in at 646-668-8485, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download Stitcher on your mobile device. Or, click on the link here.http://tobtr.com/8838043 Tune in!